Safety deposit wall cabinet



Nov. 9, 1954 c. E. GIBSON SAFETY DEPOSIT WALL CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27 1951 INVENTOR. 6' Z 0fl766 565.9012,

ATTD RN EYS Ill l l l I l Nov. 9, 1954 c. E. GIBSON 2,693,772

SAFETY DEPOSIT WALL. CABINET Filed June 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 q INVENTOR.

J0 (fibre/waif: 5:530/2,

ATTE] RN EYS United States Patent This invention relates to secret panels, hidden wall safes and the like, and in particular a wall cabinet or safe positioned behind a picture wherein the picture frame is hinged to the surface of the wall and a door to the cabinet, which is also hinged in the wall, is secured in the :closed position by a solenoid actuated lock bolt with the circuit to the solenoid controlled by a key actuated switch and also a wall switch.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a hidden wall cabinet in which the door of the cabinet is locked by a key controlled solenoid actuated switch.

Various types of locks have been used in wall safes and cabinets and in the conventional type of wall safe the lock bolt is actuated by a key wherein the lock is comparatively easy to pick. With this thought in mind this inven: tion contemplates a wall safe or cabinet having a lock in which the lock bolt is actuated by a solenoid, the circuit of which is controlled by both a wall switch and a key actuated lock whereby both the wall switch and key actuated lock must be set to predetermined positions in order to open the safe.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for incorporating an electrically actuated lock in a wall safe whereby a key inserted in a key slot of the lock coacts with a wall switch to complete a circuit for actuating the lock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall safe or cabinet wherein a door thereof is covered by a picture frame hinged at the surface of a wall.

A further object of the invention is to provide a secret safe or wall cabinet having a door locked by both a key actuated switch and a wall switch in which the cabinetis of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages 1n view the invention embodies a double wall cabinet having insulation between the walls with a door hinged in an opening in one side thereof, with a key actuated electrically controlled lock for holding the door closed and with the door covered by a picture frame hinged to the surface of the wall.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing a picture frame hinged to the surface of a wall in which the wall cabinet is positioned.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the wall showing an end elevational view of the picture frame and cabinet.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the cabinet with the picture frame opened to a position at a right angle to the wall and face of the cabinet.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan taken on line 4--4 of Figure 3 showing the construction of the cabinet and picture frame.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3 and showing the joint between the edges of the door and adjoining surfaces of the cabinet.

Figure 6 is a similar section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3 showing the construction of the hinge of the door of the cabinet.

Figure 7 is a sectional plan taken on line 7-7 of Figure 3 showing the solenoid actuated door lock.

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 3 also showing the lock.

Figure 9 is a detail showing a wiring diagram illustrating the circuit to the solenoid of the lock.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference 2,693,772 Patented Nov. 9, 1954 characters denote corresponding parts the improved secret wall cabinet of this invention includes a cabinet having a door 10 positioned in a front wall 11, the cabinet having a rear wall 12, end walls 13 and 14, a bottom 15 and a top 16 and the door is secured in the closed position by a lock bolt 17 which is actuated by a solenoid 18 that is controlled by a key operated switch 19 and a wall switch 20 and the cabinet is covered by a picture frame 21 which is secured to the edge of the cabinet by hinges 22 and 23.

Each of the Walls and also the top, bottom and door of the cabinet is formed with an inner panel 24, and an outer panel 25 and insulation, as indicated by the numeral 26 is provided in the area between the panels.

The door 10 is provided with a meeting edge 29 that provides. a recess 27 that extends continuously around the four sides thereof and the meeting edge of the front wall has a continuous flange 28 which extends into the door opening from the inner panel of the front wall 11 and extends into the recess as shown in Figure 5. The meeting edges 29 and 30 of the door and front Wall, respectively are inclined also as shown in Figure 5 to facilitate nesting so that a sealed joint is obtained continuously around the door. The door is mounted with hinges 31, 32 and 33 and the hinges, which are of the spring type are formed with spring sections as indicated by the numeral 34 and plates 35 and 36 which are positioned in recesses 37 and 38 of the door, and wall, respectively.

The inner surface of the door 10 is provided with a socket 39 into which the end of the lock bolt 17 extends and, as shown in Figure 7 the lock bolt extends through a solenoid 18 which is mounted by the housing 40 in a Ushaped casing 41 that is secured on the inner'surface of the front wall 11 by screws 42 that extend through flanges 43 and 44.

The key actuated lock 19 which provides a switch is mounted in the wall 11 by a threaded stud 45 that is threaded into a bushing 46 positioned in the wall. This switch is actuated by a key 47 and as the key is turned the contact arm of the switch is moved to engage a terminal 48 of the switch as shown in the wiring diagram in Figure 9.

The circuit is also provided with a wall switch and the contact arm 20 thereof is actuated to engage a terminal 49 to complete a circuit to the solenoid 18 when it is desired to open the lock.

The circuit includes wires 50 and 51 which extend to a source of current supply and the switches 19 and 20 are connected by a wire 52 with the terminals 48 of the switch 19 connected to the solenoid 18 by a wire 53.

The wall cabinet may be provided with shelves, as indicated by the numeral 54 and the cabinet may betdivided into compartments by other suitable means.

The picture frame 21 may be provided with the conventional glass panel, as indicated by the numeral 55 and other backing panels, as indicated by the numeral 56 may be used with a picture, or the like against the inner surface of the glass. The frame 21 may also be provided with a latch 57 for securing the frame against the surface of the wall.

With the parts arranged in this manner the wall safe or cabinet is completely hidden behind the picture frame 21 and when it is desired to open the cabinet the picture frame is extended outwardly as shown in Figure 3 and with the wall or light switch 20 closed the switch 19 is actuated by a key to close a circuit to the solenoid whereby the lock bolt 17 is withdrawn and the door 10 opened by the spring actuated hinges. After articles are placed in or removed from the cabinet the door is snapped into the closed position with the edge of the socket 39 riding against the beveled surface of the lock bolt.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A wall safe comprising a cabinet having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a top and said front wall having a door opening therein, a door positioned in the door opening of the front wall of the cabinet, said walls of the cabinet and door comprising spaced panels with insulation between the panels and said door having a meetlng edge provided with a continuous recess in the surface thereof and extended around all the edges of the door, the front wall of the cabinet having a meeting edge provided with an extended 'flange positioned in the said recess of the meeting edge 'of the door, said door at one side thereof and that portion of the wall cooperating with the said one side of the door having relatively spaced oppositely disposed recesses therein, means disposed in the recesses in the door and wall for hinging the door to the front wall of the cabinet, a lock bolt for securing the door in the closed position, a solenoid on the inner surface of the front wall of the cabinet positioned to actuate the lock bolt, a circuit connecting the solenoid to a source of current supply, a wall switch in the said circuit, and a key actuated swtich also in the said circuit.

2- A wall safe comprising a cabinet having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a top and said front wall having a door opening therein, a door positioned in the door opening of the font wall of the cabinet, said walls of the cabinet and door comprising spaced panels with insulation between the panels and said door having a meeting edge'provided with a continuous recess in the surface thereof and extended around all the edges of the door, the front wall of the cabinet having a meeting edge provided with an extended flange positioned in the said recess of the meeting edge of the door, said door at one side thereof and that portion of the Wall cooperating with the said one side of the door having relatively spaced oppositely disposed recesses therein, means disposed. in the recesses in the door and wall for hinging the door to the front wall of the cabinet, a lock bolt for securing the door in the closed position, a solenoid on the inner surface of the front wall of the cabinet positioned to actuate the lock bolt, a circuit connecting the solenoid to a source of current supply, a wall switch in the said circuit, a key actuated switch also in the said circuit, and a picture frame hinged to the cabinet completely covering the front wall thereof.

3. In a wall safe, the combination which comprises a rectangular shaped cabinet having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a top, said walls and said bottom and top having inner and outer panels, said front wall having a meeting edge joining the inner and outer panels thereof and providing a door opening with a flange extended from the inner panel and positioned continuously around the said door opening, a door having inner and outer panels and a meeting edge joining the inner and outer panels and provided with a continuous recess positioned to receive the flange of the meeting edge of the front wall when positioned in the said door opening of the front wall, said door having relatively spaced recesses in one side in the outer panel thereof, said front wall having relatively spaced recesses along one edge of the door opening in the outer panel thereof in alinement with the recesses in the outer panel of said door, spring hinges positioned in the alined recesses in the door and front wall for mounting the door in the said wall, a socket positioned on the inner surface of the door, a lock bolt mounted on the inner surface of the front wall and positioned to extend into the socket of the door, a solenoid positioned to actuate the said lock bolt, a circuit connecting the solenoid to a source of current supply, a wall switch connected in the said circuit, a key actuated switch mounted in the front wall of the cabinet and also connected in the circuit to the solenoid, a picture frame hinged to the front wall of the cabinet and a latch for securing the picture frame in position against the front wall of the cabinet.

4. A wall safe comprising a cabinet having front and rear walls, end walls, a bottom and a top and said front wall having a door opening therein, a door positioned in the door opening of the front wall of the cabinet, said walls of the cabinet and door comprising spaced panels with insulation between the panels and said door having a meeting edge joining the spaced panels thereof and. provided with a continuous recess in the surface of the meeting edge and extended around the edges thereof, the front wall of the cabinet having a meeting edge joining the spaced panels of the wall and provided with an extended flange positioned in the said recess of the meeting edge of the door, relatively spaced and alined recesses in the door and front Wall along one meeting side of the door and door opening, means positioned in said recesses for hinging the door to the front wall of the cabinet, a lock bolt for securing the door in the closed position, a solenoid on the inner surface of the front wall of the cabinet positioned to actuate the lock bolt, a circuit connecting the solenoid to a source of current supply, a wall switch in the said circuit, a key actuated switch also in the said circuit, a picture frame positioned over the cabinet, and means hinging the said picture frame to a wall in which the cabinet is positioned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,681,290 Glass Aug. 21,1928 1,770,189 Abbott July 8, 1930 1,836,814 Rauwald Dec. 15, 1931 1,905,965 Leschke et a1. Apr. 25, 1933 2,035,596 De Werff Mar. 31, 1936 2,633,010 Stein Mar. 31, 1953 

